Ziron: Proving That ASM Isn’t An Old-Timey Language

Perhaps you have a dad or a grandfather that was working in the tech industry back in the day when computers were just a bunch of lightbulbs. If you do, you must have heard of how great assembly (ASM) language was. Even though it’s still used today, it’s not as popular a language as it once was. This is mainly because of all the other simpler languages that don’t call for torches and voodoo dolls, such as C, C++, Delphi, PHP, and Java.

For all intents and purposes, I still recommend that you learn ASM. And what better incentive would you have to learn it than a language that combines ASM with syntax you’re familiar with?

Enter Ziron

Ziron is a language that implements ASM, to some extent, in a syntax model that acts more like C and Pascal. This helps you get the gist of programming in ASM while still operating with objects, classes, and structures that you’d be used to in other languages. If you program in PHP, there’s no reason you shouldn’t use it at least for kicks.

There’s a lot of fun in learning a new language, particularly one that doesn’t look like everyone else’s.

Assembler? Or Compiler?

Ziron is both an assembler and a compiler. Because of this identity crisis, you get the ability to compile macros and assemble machine code, making for a versatile program that’s easier to write. Its ambiguous behavior also makes it very adaptable, giving it the ability to interpret code in higher-level syntax and get down to the nitty-gritty bottom where ASM dwells. In other words, you can code like your grandpa or code like your professor taught you in preschool. Either way is fine by Ziron.

And… Why Should I Learn ASM/Ziron?

There are three reasons why you should learn ASM, even if the only thing you’ll ever do in your life is code in Java:

It’s damn amazing. ASM is a very mechanical language. Learning the mechanics of ASM helps you understand a bit of how computers were made in the first place. The first computers are not much different than today’s computers, communicating in bytes, words (16-bit values), and double words (DWORDs, 32-bit values). Today’s 64-bit systems also use quad words (QWORDs). ASM has been the basic representation of all this communication.

Learn about how processors work. ASM is a language used chiefly when communicating directly with the CPU. Each processor has its registries, which are then manipulated in different ways to perform different tasks. In ASM, you’ll get down to the basic function of the processor and learn how to whisper in its ear. The experience is one of the most thrilling any programmer can have if he can dedicate himself to such a task.

Become a stronger programmer. Most importantly of all, ASM is a language that has laid the foundation for virtually all the other languages that have existed after it. “What about C?” Yeah, that’s actually a direct result of trying to make ASM easier. C++? It’s based on C, which is based on ASM. Almost every language can trace its ancestry back to ASM. Learning ASM will make you a very powerful programmer, since you’ll know how your language of choice came to be. There’s nothing more satisfying than having that kind of power in your hands. Enjoy it and use it wisely!

In the end, Ziron makes this step of learning ASM much easier and more fun. If you have some spare time, you should experiment with it and become a stronger person and programmer. You’ll need a bit of patience, but it’s not like you’re using a lever with lightbulbs like your grandpa did back in the day!

Miguel has been working with computers back when the latest processor could print "Hello World" on the screen a couple of times and everyone was going nuts about that. From the days of DOS to the days of 'dows, he's been exploring every minute detail about computers, banging his head against the keyboard until he got it. Now he's blogging about it on his dedicated server until it breaks down, he repairs it, and just keeps on blogging.